Method of making thin film magnetic head using electric lapping guide

1. A method of making a magnetic head, comprising: a resist pattern forming step of forming a resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer for determining an initial height in the direction perpendicular to a medium facing surface of the magnetic detection element layer and a resist pattern for conductive layer for determining an initial height in the direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface of the conductive layer on a substrate having the magnetic detection element layer and the conductive layer spaced apart in a track width direction relative to the magnetic detection element layer by exposure using a reticle, wherein, as a reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and a reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for conductive layer in the reticle, a reticle having a convex portion that projects in the height direction and a concave portion that dents in the direction opposite to the convex portion, respectively, is used to form a convex portion and concave portion corresponding to the convex portion and concave portion of the reticle pattern in the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and in the resist pattern for conductive layer, respectively; an initial height determining step of determining an initial height of the magnetic detection element layer and an initial height perpendicular to the medium facing surface of the conductive layer by removing unnecessary portions of the magnetic detection element layer and the conductive layer with the each resist pattern as a mask, and forming a convex portion and concave portion corresponding to the convex portion and concave portion of the resist pattern in the magnetic detection element layer and in the conductive layer, respectively; a magnetic detection element layer deviation obtaining step of obtaining a deviation in the height direction concerning a surface intersecting the height direction of the magnetic detection element layer, based on a ratio between a width in the track width direction of the convex portion of the magnetic detection element layer and a width in the track width direction of the concave portion of the magnetic detection element layer; a conductive layer deviation obtaining step of obtaining a deviation in the height direction concerning a surface intersecting the height direction of the conductive layer, based on a ratio between a width in the track width direction of the convex portion of the conductive layer and a width in the track width direction of the concave portion of the conductive layer; and a grinding step of grinding the medium facing surface with the conductive layer as a resistance sensor so that a height of the magnetic detection element layer be a desired value, based on the deviation in the height direction of the magnetic detection element layer and the deviation in the height direction of the conductive layer.

2. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 1 , wherein the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for conductive layer in the reticle have a plurality of the convex portions and a plurality of the concave portions, respectively.

3. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 1 , wherein among the convex portions and the concave portions which the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for conductive layer in the reticle have, the convex portion and concave portion adjoining to each other have a common side edge, respectively.

4. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 1 , wherein the convex portion and the concave portion, which the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for conductive layer in the reticle have, are rectangular, square, or trapezoidal.

5. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 1 , wherein the convex portion and the concave portion, which the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer and the reticle pattern corresponding to the resist pattern for conductive layer in the reticle have, are square.

6. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic detection element layer includes an MR element layer and a magnetic domain controlling layer provided at both sides in the track width direction of the MR element layer; wherein the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer covers the MR element layer and the magnetic domain controlling layer; and wherein the convex portion and the concave portion of the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer are formed in a portion that covers the magnetic domain controlling layer.

7. The method of making a magnetic head according to claim 6 , wherein the convex portion and the concave portion of the resist pattern for magnetic detection element layer are formed in a face at the medium facing surface side of the magnetic domain controlling layer.